


I Don't Look Like That Guy! aka ‘Why Do So Many Anime Make Dating Look Easy?’

by RyuichiSakuma



Category: One Piece
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Anime Convention antics, Broken Bones, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Happy Birthday Law!, Hurt/Comfort, If it can go wrong it will, Injury, M/M, More sexy times are a-cumming!, My first attempt at depressed!Law, One Piece Big Bang 2017, One-Sided Attraction, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Romantic Comedy, Sexy Times, The Straw Hats as Voice Actors, Usopp is a Manga-ka, Vomiting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-06
Updated: 2018-07-04
Packaged: 2019-01-09 16:24:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 17,689
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12280167
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RyuichiSakuma/pseuds/RyuichiSakuma
Summary: Doctor Trafalgar Law treated Monkey D. Luffy terribly when they dated in high school.  Years later Law goes to his first anime convention and tries to get back together with him.  Of course, things go terribly, horribly wrong.





	1. Prologue: The Figure Collection

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lululawlawlu](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lululawlawlu/gifts).



> Well, yeah. This is the One Piece Big Bang 2017 story I’ve talked about for...a long time. I know, I know. its really late. Like months late. I suck. OTL
> 
> So I decided to wait until Law’s birthday to start publishing it. And no, its not finished. So I suppose, even though it has the tag OPBB, its kinda not. But I hope that you guys will forgive me and enjoy it anyways. 
> 
> If you like it, please comment, I answer any and all comments, I LOVE talking to people, especially anyone that is ~~crazy~~ ~~desperate~~ _cool_ enough to take the time to read my stuff!  <3 
> 
> Don't worry, I'm still working on all of my WIPS, I just write slow. (^//////^); Sorry, sorry!
> 
> Thanks once again to my beta Eiri, for saving me from leaving plotholes big enough to sail the Polar Tang through.
> 
> This story is dedicated to all of the LuLaw fans out there, but especially @lululawlawlu who encouraged me by cheering me on and believing in me. <3 <3 <3
> 
> To the Japanese pop band Perfume, who helped me keep my sanity while I puzzled things out.
> 
> And most of all, to Oda Eiichiro-sensei and his magnificent creation, One Piece. * kowtows *
> 
> HAPPY BIRTHDAY LAW! <3 (^_^)
> 
> Ryuichi
> 
> *~*~*~*~*
> 
> This story reflects a little bit of what it is like to be an otaku in America. Many of the events are made up, but some I've actually seen happen. *shudder*
> 
> The names have been changed...uh...read the story, you’ll find out why. Also, the chapters are different lengths, reflecting events as they occurred.. I've put some of them together as best I could.

 

Doctor Trafalgar Law turned off the light and slowly closed the cabinet in which his figure collection resided.

 

It was still strange that there were anime versions of his high school and college friends available for purchase. What was even stranger was that via a third party, he would even want to buy their figures. Via said third party, Law was able to obtain two versions of each and every figure ever released. One to keep mint in box in paid storage, and one that he kept hidden from everyone in the hidden walk-in display room he had workers construct in the back of his bedroom closet behind a wall.

 

Only Bepo, his best friend from middle school knew that he had the collection. Anyone else was on a need-to-know basis.

 

Law knew how popular 'Romance Dawn' had become, especially once it had been turned into an anime. The adventures of the eclectic pirate crew, drawn by Usopp, a high school friend, had taken off like wildfire. Now in its third season, it was inevitable that the show would have commercial tie-ins related to it. Toys, wall scrolls, even jewelry were all tied into the rapidly-growing franchise.

 

Despite, or perhaps because Usopp had taken his inspiration from his crazy group of high school and even select college friends, they too were reaping the benefits of fame. The eclectic group even agreeing to voice their doppelgangers for the insanely popular anime.

 

Usopp had contacted him out of the blue a little more than two years ago to ask for permission to use his likeness as well as a similar name for a movie based on the series. Happy that the manga-ka had not used their actual names, Law gave Usopp the green light to use his likeness as well as a similar name to his own...with a few tweaks here and there.

 

Law had heard from Penguin that Usopp was contacting them for permission to be used in the new Romance Dawn movie. When the call came, Law jumped at the opportunity to be able to pay back his college and medical school loans without having to use his family's money. He hated the fact that his uncle Doflamingo held the payments the family made on his behalf over his head whenever he needed the surgeon to do dirty work for him.

 

Once their respective lawyers had hammered out an acceptable agreement, the blue-haired man’s contract not only made sure that he earned a percentage of royalties of anything with his character, but to have some say in his likeness of the appearance. Law even allowed Usopp to use his actual tattoos on the character. Since he rarely showed all of them, no one would ever figure out it was him.

 

The only major change he asked his artist friend to make was to his hair and eyes.

 

Between the initial check and the first few royalty checks, he was able to finally say "no" to his uncle's criminal requests, as well as move away from the family home and into his own condo. Able to not only focus on medical school, but his internship once his school loans were paid off, the blue-haired medical sped through his classes and internship, becoming the youngest surgeon in the history of Red Line University.1

 

Sighing, Law headed into his bedroom after closing the closet door. Dressing quickly, he grabbed his keys and smartphone. Setting both on the bench next to the condo’s front door, he put on his shoes and headed out to work.


	2. Romance Dawn

Law dragged himself through his condo’s front door and slowly closed it behind him. Every inch of his body felt sore with the pain of exhaustion. Leaning against a wall, he sighed heavily before toeing off his work tennis shoes.

 

Grand Line ER had seen its fair share of trauma during the busy double work shift, injuries that had the brilliant surgeon using his absolute best surgical skills and most of his energy.

 

A drunk man badly assaulted with a beer bottle, a woman who fell into a changing room mirror and a small boy playing with a knife challenged the best of Law’s skills. He knew that there would be some facial scarring, however, he was positive that his work had reduced their injuries more than any other of the other surgeons in the entire city were capable of.

 

The stress of working on such difficult cases showed in the doctor's golden half-open eyes as he stumbled into his bedroom. Peeling off his clothes, he dropped then to the floor before he fell onto the bed dressed only in black boxer-briefs.

 

He was asleep before the bed springs ceased bouncing.

 

A stray beam of early afternoon sunlight somehow found its way past the blackout curtains to shine directly into one eye. Law groaned and reached out for his phone, only to realize that he had left it in his jacket pocket. Giving it up for dead, he stretched and rolled over to his other side to peer at the digital clock that resided on a dresser across the room.

 

He had slept a total of six hours straight. A longer stretch than he had had in the past three weeks.

 

Grateful that he had the next two days off, Law absently scratched his side and headed to the bathroom for a hot shower. The heat of the water soothed his sore muscles, and he stood in it until the water began to run cold.

 

Drying his hair in the mirror, he noticed that the front had grown long enough to hang in his eyes. He raised one hand and ran it through the dark blue locks, pushing them out of his face. Bending down to look under the sink, he spied a half-full bottle of hair gel that he could use should he decide to go anywhere during his two days off, at least until he could get his hair cut.

 

Refreshed, he headed to the kitchen for a late breakfast. Sitting down at the kitchen island with his breakfast, he pondered the collectible figure serving as a centerpiece.

 

The main character of 'Romance Dawn' appeared to stare back at him, his usually brilliant smile gone, crafted into a fierce frown. Deep brown eyes seemed to glare up at Law as he ate two-day-old chicken fried rice, washing it down with a beer.

 

His usual regret of never speaking to his ex-boyfriend threatened to turn the beautiful day into one full of dark thoughts; the usual round of self-pity, self-loathing and deep regret that would normally cause him to shut himself in his bedroom with nary a bit of sunlight to offset his black mood.

 

But for once that didn’t happen. Instead, he went to his jacket, reached in the pocket and saw that the phone had not died, but instead had blown up with texts, voicemails, emails, and Skype chats.

 

He plugged the phone into the charger and began to check the chats, frowning as he read the first message.

 

 **BandWbirddude:** Captian, the 1st Romance Dawn movie cmes out 2nite @ midnite, wanna go w Shachi, Bepo an me 2 c it?  ur chracter debuite in it!

 

 _Shit. If I go, won't I be recognized by other moviegoers?_ he contemplated before opening the second chat.

 

 **BdassShamu:** yo Captain, your chara's gonna be in the new Dawn flick, lets go c it, alrite?

 

 _I sense a trend,_ the blue-haired man thought, making a wry face at the phone before opening the third chat.

 

 **BepoizBest:** Captain, your movie comes out @12am tonight. Lts see it, k?

 

 _There goes any ideas of a relaxing night at home,_ he thought, sighing as he created a group chatroom and began to type a response.

 

 **CuttingEdgeDr:** If I don't go on opening night, you three will never let me live it down, correct?

 

 **BandWbirddude:** Nope! :D

 

 **BepoizBest:** Doez tht mean ur going?

 

 **BdassShamu:** Hell no! Ill give u shit til ur dying day! ;)

  
  
**CuttingEdgeDr:** ...fine, I'll go. But if any of you do ANYTHING to get me recognised, you'll regret it until YOUR dying day!

 

He smirked as the happy replies came in.

 

 **BepoizBest:** \O/ I don't thnk tha'll b a problem, Captain!

 

 **BdassShamu:** YOSH! LETS SNEEK IN BEERS!

 

 **BandWbirddude:** LETS DO THIS! I cnt wait 2 c if i get a ny hot babes in tha movi!

 

Chuckling as he put down the phone, the surgeon's thumb accidentally hit the phone app, activating it. He stared at the screen, frozen as a familiar phone number he hadn't seen in years showed on the screen.

 

Law's mind went into overdrive.

 

 _Its_ him. He _called_ me? _Why? WHY? We haven't spoken since "that day!"'_

 

Staring at the screen, his memory unwillingly went back to the last time he and the caller had spoken face to face.

 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 

_The autumn leaves fell around Law as he waited under the huge oak tree. Nervously shifting from one foot to another, he started at the sound of approaching footsteps. Even though he was the one to suggest the clandestine meeting, he hadn't expected the other to actually show._

 

_The footsteps slowed and then stopped right in front of him.  The high school senior couldn't raise his head, instead choosing to speak while staring at the dead leaves now burying their feet. Taking in a deep breath, he started the speech he had rehearsed in his mind a million times beforehand._

 

_He hated every word._

 

_"I...I'm sorry. We can't continue this relationship.  I'll be heading off to college and then medical school, so I feel it would be best if we break things off now. I will have to concentrate even more in order to continue my high grades and pass my classes. A relationship at this point would be a huge distraction. Besides, I'm sure that I wouldn't be much company over the next few months,  never mind once I start college. So, I am giving you your freedom so that you can see other people. I don't want to hold either of us back."_

 

_The other pair of shoes buried in the leaves shifted sightly. Law heard a deep intake of breath before the other started to speak._

 

_"I understand," the other said, his voice uncharacteristically serious. "I don't like it at all, but I understand. I still think that we can make our relationship work, but I won't force you to be with me."_

 

_The other feet shifted once more, their owner's voice full of emotion as they turned to go._

 

_"Never forget that I love you Law. I always will."_

 

_Hearing the other call him by his given name, Law fell against the rough tree trunk, using it to support his suddenly weak legs as the footsteps walked away. When the footsteps blended into the other sounds in the park, Law slid down the tree trunk until he ended up sitting on the ground._

 

_Curling into himself, he cried until he felt like he had no more tears left in his body._

 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 

Law slowly walked over to the kitchen island and picked up the glass case containing his most valuable figure. Heading back into the bedroom, he carefully placed it on the nightstand next to his charging phone. Lying down on the bed, he gazed longingly at the person under the dome, his eyes soft as he took in every detail. Fans and figure critics alike had praised the sculpture for its resemblance to the real-life man that also provided his anime counterpart's voice, the only voice actor of whom the fans had seen actual pictures. 

 

Law had paid a high price for the figure, one of only 20 in the world.

 

And he had two of them.

 

His fingertips gently touched the glass case where the figure resided. Closing his eyes, he felt a tear slide down his face to collect on the pillow under his head as he whispered to the fierce face under the glass.

 

"I'll never forget. I love you too Luffy-ya. I always will."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, the typos and bad netspeak are deliberate. >: P


	3. Contract Talks

 

**Two Years and Two Days Earlier**

 

"I really don't think that the studio completely paying off my student loans is too much to ask for. I'll be signing over to the studio complete control of my character for the duration of the movie. Just having input on figures, wall scrolls and other merchandise tie-ins as well as the agreed-upon percentage is fine with me. If you need me in any other way, feel free to contact me."

  
Monet Snow, the studio lawyer steepled her fingers while she contemplated Law's suggestion.

  
"I will take your suggestions up with the studio executives.  In the meantime, study hard, Mr. Trafalgar."

  
"I'm a first year surgical intern, Ms. Snow. I have already graduated medical school," Law corrected her.

  
"Understood, _Doctor_ Trafalgar," she said, sitting back in her plush chair.

  
*~*~*~*~*

 

**Two** **Years Earlier**  
  
Usopp turned to look worriedly at Nico Robin, his personal lawyer, who gazed coolly back at the long-nosed manga-ka, then back to Law.

"This contract also means that you cannot reveal yourself to the public as the Captain of the Valentine pirates from the Romance Dawn movie _in any way_. Do you understand that, Doctor Trafalgar?"

"I understand that completely," he acknowledged, picking up the pen to sign the contract in front of him.

  



	4. Romance Dawn the movie, Opening Night

 

**Three Months Ago: 11:07pm**

 

Law waited in the long movie line with Shachi, Bepo and Penguin. He leaned against the wall of a store a few doors down from the theater wearing a bored expression as the quartet was approached.  
  
"Wow, you look just like the captain of the Valentine Pirates!" said a girl dressed in a long orange wig. Her outfit matched that of Cat Burglar Nambi on the movie poster behind her.  Standing up on tip toes in Law's face, she frowned as the surgeon leaned away from her.

  
"That's absurd. I don't look like that guy," Law said, backing away.

  
"On second thought, your eyes are yellow and your hair's too long and the wrong color. But you're still _really_ good looking...." she said, batting her eyes at him.

  
"...Thank you. And my eyes are gold," he begrudgingly replied, taking yet another step back.

  
"I think she _liiiiikes_ you Captain!" Shachi cried. He clasped his hands and held them over his heart, blinking rapidly at the blue-haired man. Bepo ducked his head, white-blond hair falling over the burly dark-skinned man's face.

  
Law frowned again at the Nambi cosplayer, who was now joined by cosplayers dressed as other characters from the movie poster.

 

“You're right Kanna, he _does_ look like the captain of the Valentine pirates!" A boy dressed in a black suit wearing a blond wig said while looking at the poster. "But he's still not as cool as Black Leg Senji!"

  
"Did everyone leave their brains at home when they decided to dress like those pirates?" Law asked, staring at the group. He noticed that no one was dressed as the figure currently residing on his nightstand.

  
"Hold our places guys. I'll get Captain up to speed," Penguin said, taking Law by an arm as he stepped out of line.

  
"Sure thing. We got comped advanced tickets anyway. Our seats are saved," Shachi replied, waving the pair away.

  
Heading to a nearby coffee shop, Penguin led the surgeon to the line, explaining as they walked.

  
"When Usopp made it big, he asked the entire group from college if they would do the voices for the anime and any movies. Nearly all Romance Dawn fans know that the Mugiwara pirates are voiced by their real-world counterparts. Nearly the entire group is well-known but never seen voice actors now, as well as doing various other jobs for the company they all work for. I hear that Nami became an accountant for them, and Robin's their lawyer, for example. I thought you knew all of this already?" Penguin explained as the coffee line moved forward.

  
"I honestly had no idea, Penguin-ya. I've been preoccupied with work, and before that, my internship. You knew that. But if we're in this movie and the main characters are voiced by their real-world counterparts, why wasn't I contacted to do the voice for my character?" Law asked.

  
The coffee line moved forward again as Penguin looked down at his feet before looking Law in his eyes.

  
"You just answered your own question, Law. You were busy working crazy hours as an intern and then working in the ER as a doctor. An executive decision was made not to interrupt you with a project that would not only distract you but take you away from the city. A voice actor was found that sounded close enough to you to pass."

  
"I take it that means that you three were the voice actors for your movie counterparts," Law asked, crossing his arms angrily. The guilty expression on his friend's face was all the answer the doctor needed.

  
"Look Law, what you do is more important than being the voice for some guy that may only be in a movie! Besides, _he_ would have been there! As it were, _he_ refused to be in the same room with your actor! They had to record their scenes separately and do some sound edits to make them seem as if they were speaking directly to each other!"

  
Law's jaw dropped as _does he still love me?_ briefly flashed through the emotional part of his brain.

  
_Of course not._ _H_ _e's_ _undoubtedly_ _still pissed off at me,'_ the more logical part of his brain replied.

  
Shutting his mouth, he moved forward to place his coffee order. "Since you're now a big-time celebrity, the least you can do is pay for my coffee," the blue-haired man spat. Penguin nodded, defeat evident in his stance as he added to Law's order and paid for both. The two men stood silently as their orders were made.

  
"To be honest, we're not known yet," Penguin said as he picked up his cup. Lifting his own large coffee, Law raised an eyebrow at that admission. "This movie will be the Valentine pirates debut. Your character's the only one that the public has seen so far."

  
"That explains the “Nambi” cosplayer's familiarity with me,” he said, making air quotes with one hand. “I still don't think I look like that guy," " the surgeon said as they made their way back to the movie line.

  
"Everything okay?" Bepo asked, dark blue eyes glancing worriedly at Penguin, who gave the blond a quick nod. "For what it's worth, I didn't think he sounded anything like you Captain," he admitted, watching Law sip his drink.

  
"Its fine, Bepo-ya. I understand why everything was done. We're all still friends."

  
"Captain, drink fast, the line's moving and the theater doesn't allow outside beverages!" Shachi added as the line surged forward.

  
The cosplayer group in front of the quartet raised their fists and shouted "WE GO!", causing the entire line to repeat the action. As excited shouts and cheers moved up and down the line, a hush made its way from the front of the line to the four men. A middle-aged man from the movie theater dressed to resemble the captain of the Valentine pirates approached Law and bowed low. He wore a yellow and black hoodie with an unusual smiling jolly roger on the front, black spotted blue jeans and a white hat with black spots painted around the brim. Two clip-on gold earrings adorned each ear.

  
"I am Glasser Wallace, owner and General Manager of the Glasser theater. Sir, you and your crew have reserved seating. If you would be so kind..." he said, gesturing towards the theater.

  
The Nambi cosplayer threw her arm around Law's waist, barely missed being scalded by his cup of coffee.

  
"Yeah lover, lets go!" she said as Law turned to glare at her.

  
"Captain?" Bepo asked nervously.

  
"I met this woman in line. I have never laid eyes on her before tonight," the blue-haired man admitted to the manager.

  
"If you would be so kind as to release Doctor Trafalgar miss?" Mr. Glasser asked in a professional voice.

  
"Fineee! And I was gonna give you some of _this!_ " The Nambi cosplayer huffed, releasing Law and shaking her breasts at him.

  
"I wouldn't have accepted anyway. I don't prefer your kind," Law retorted, turning to his friends. "Shall we go?" he queried.

  
"'My kind?'" The cosplayer screeched. "Don't like cosplayers?"

  
"Captain's gay!" Shachi retorted back, causing the moviegoers within earshot to catcall the furious orange-haired girl.

  
"I would rather you _not_ divulge my personal details out in public, Shachi-ya," Law deadpanned, scowling at the redhead.  
  
"Oops!  Sorry Captain, my bad!" he replied, holding up his hands in defeat. Penguin chuckled and Bepo looked back and forth between Shachi and Law, confused as to who to be worried about as Law turned to follow Mr. Glasser.

  
The GM lead the quartet to the front of the line, explaining himself as he walked. "The movie studio advised us directly that the four of you might appear for this showing and emailed us pictures of who to look for. Gentlemen, I am truly sorry that I was not able to come to you before now so that you had to wait in line." He turned and bowed once more in apology.

  
"Its fine Mr. Glasser. Frankly, I'm just happy to be away from that cosplayer," Law admitted, causing Bepo, Penguin and Shachi to laugh.

  
"It would have been easy to find you anyway, Doctor Trafalgar.  You were the only Valentine pirate captain not in cosplay," he said, gesturing to one of Law's pierced ears.

  
"I really don't think I look like that guy," the blue-haired man spouted, frowning. This only caused the other three to laugh even louder.

  
The GM led the men up a red-carpeted flight of stairs and out onto a balcony that had a perfect view of the screen. Below them, the floor seats were rapidly filling up as cosplayers and regular patrons alike hurried to find the perfect seat.

  
"Glad we're not down in that madness," Penguin noted as the GM left, returning with a tray holding four plastic glasses full of beer.

  
"Order anything you like," he said, placing the tray down on a wooden table before passing out menus. "Its been paid for already."

  
"The studio paid for this as well?" Shachi asked, picking up a beer glass and taking a healthy swallow of the golden liquid.

  
"No sir. One of the voice actors from the movie paid for it all," Mr. Glasser explained. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a piece of paper while Law took a deep drink of his cooling coffee.

  
"He said his name is Monkey D. Luffy."

  
Inhaling coffee, Law began to cough, his eyes watering.

  
*~*~*~*~*

  
"The movie was so exciting, didn't ya think so Bepo?" Penguin asked his friend as they headed back towards Law's car. "Its kinda cool that Usopp turned you into a fighting version of your favorite animal! You're officially the most badassed polar bear _ever!_ "

  
"Yeah, I was pretty sick, wasn't I?" the platinum blond replied, grinning. "It was really cool that the Valentine pirates had a yellow submarine instead of a regular pirate ship. It was even Captain's favorite color!"

  
"Yeah, when we were recording our voices, all I saw of the sub was the inside. I don't remember ever seeing the outside. Did either of you?" Shachi asked.

  
"Nope," Penguin replied while Bepo shook his head.

  
"You looked badassed with that big sword, Captain! And your powers were _sweet!_ I loved how you cut that island in half! It was too bad that Yuriko the villainess was cut in half too, she was _hot!_ " Shachi gushed, his hands waving about while he spoke.

  
Lost in thought, Law said nothing in reply. His hands in his slacks pockets, he slowly followed behind the trio. His thoughts were flying at warp speed as he contemplated what could have been a personal message to him from the main character, Captain Chimp D. Guffy of the StrawHat pirates. At the end of the movie, before the two friends parted to go their separate ways, Guffy suddenly hugged the Valentine pirate captain, Swiftsure D. Writ and said as the final line of the movie,

  
"Never forget that I care about you Writ. I always will."


	5. Discovery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Law is NOT having a good morning...or is he?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAPPY FRIDAY THE 13TH! (^_^)
> 
> I figured that this would be the PERFECT day to begin Law's decent into hell...I mean, first time at a anime convention. 
> 
> Remember to ~~tip your server~~ comment, I live on them!  <3
> 
> Eiri, you are the BEST beta I've ever had! <3 <3 <3
> 
> Ryuichi

 

**The Anime Convention:**

**Present Day**

**Friday morning: 10:42am**

 

 

The lights slowly came up as the ‘Romance Dawn’ voice actors’ movie clip ended.

  
Pushing his favorite spotted white hat back a little further on his head, Law sat slumped in the very last row of the packed conference room. In front of him sat row after row of colorfully dressed people in outfits from various anime, live-action series, popular movies and video games, currently cheering and applauding the video clip.

  
Other than the four people on stage, he seemed to be the only person dressed in regular street clothes.

  
He could also see quite a few cosplayers dressed as his movie counterpart, down to the goatee and spiky sideburns.

  
“We are now open to questions,” Penguin said into his microphone. The entire audience raised their hands in reply.

  
_Why am I even here?_ thought Law. The blue-haired man blinked and sat up slightly when the audience cheered once more then quieted to hear the answer to the question he had missed.

  
"...and that's how we sounded so breathless during the chase scene. Those treadmills move _fast!_ " Shachi finished, grinning when a forest of hands appeared once more.

  
"The lady in the Bepu-bear cosplay, halfway back," Penguin said, pointing while a staff member hurried towards her, microphone in hand.

  
"Thank you Penguin-sama," she replied as she stood and bowed to the panelists. "My question is this, we, the fans know that the main characters in both ‘Romance Dawn’ the series and the anime have a yet-unseen real-world counterpart who they resemble who also does their voice. Even Bepu looks similar to Bepo-sama, and he’s a polar bear. Why doesn't Captain Swiftsure of the Valentine pirates look like his real-world counterpart?"

  
Inhaling a jelly bean at the question, "Captain Swiftsure's" free hand hovered above the candy bowl in front of his microphone while his eyes frantically searched for his bottle of water. Bepo, Penguin and Shachi turned to look at each other.

  
Law sat up, golden eyes staring directly at his best friend as he waited for an answer that wouldn't out him to the audience.

  
A convention staff member hurriedly placed another bottle of water in front of the 650 pound voice actor, who hurriedly gulped down half the bottle. Bepo harrumphed into his microphone, swallowing nervously while Shachi spoke up. "I'll answer that question..." he began.

  
"Artistic license," Penguin quickly replied, leaning into his microphone. Shachi and Bepo nodded a bit too enthusiastically at the answer as "Captain Swiftsure" coughed a yellow jelly bean into his hand.

  
Law smirked at the answer, settling back in his seat.

  
"That's right young lady, artistic license." The middle-aged man echoed hoarsely.

  
"But if that's true, then why is Captain Swiftsure so much older than the rest of the ‘Romance Dawn’ cast? Its common knowledge that they met in high school, but the Captain's VA has worked for over 25 years in the industry, according to his bio in the convention brochure," the cosplayer continued.

  
Law tensed in his seat.

  
_Shit._

  
"Also, my Valentine pirate cosplay group noticed a man that looked _remarkably_ like Captain Swiftsure with the three of you when you signed into the hotel yesterday. I took pics," she added, turning to look directly at Law.

  
The doctor froze when the entire audience turned as one to look at him. Unbidden, his hand reached up to pull the brim of his spotted hat down.

  
"That's just another con-goer," Shachi cried out, standing.

  
"Then why does he have Captain Swiftsure's hand tattoos if he's not cosplaying?" the Bepu cosplayer pointed out.

 

A Captain Swiftsure cosplayer sitting next to Law boldly peered under the brim of his hat, catching his eye. Frowning, he turned back to the audience. "This guy has dark blue hair and gold eyes, not black hair and gray eyes, and he needs a haircut," he reported. “This can’t _possibly_ be Swiftsure.”

  
"Of _course not!_ I don't look like that guy!" Law cried out, momentarily incensed before it hit him.

  
His voice sounded _exactly_ the same as Swiftsure's. Although more melodic.

  
Law could have heard a pin drop.

  
"Its the _real_ Captain Swiftsure!” a Shochi cosplayer said, awed. And then loudly, “I want his hat!"

  
"Captain, _RUN!_ “ Bepo and Shachi shouted at the same time. Penguin abruptly stood up from his chair, startling the older VA so much that he shifted wrong in the tiny seat, causing a chair leg to break. Jelly beans went flying as his foot connected with the table when his broken chair fell over backwards.

  
Shoving his hat into his overcoat pocket, Law's legs had him up and running towards the door before the shout finished echoing around the vast auditorium. Over 300 Romance Dawn fans surged towards the blue-haired doctor.

  
"I want his pants!" cried out another female voice.

  
"Dibs on his underwear!" shrieked a deep male voice.

  
"I just want pics of his nekkid body!" Law heard as he ran full-speed down the hallway, long black overcoat flying out behind him like bat wings.

  
"No running!" A security staff member yelled after the speeding man before she yelped and flattened herself against a wall to avoid the mob.

  
"Why is everyone running?" A Cardcaptor Sakura cosplayer shouted out to the mob.

  
"That's the _real_ Captain Swiftsure!" A girl in a pikachu kigurumi shouted back as she sped up.

  
"Oh. My. _GAWD!_ " squealed the Cardcaptor cosplayer, her voice a high-pitched squeal on the last word as she joined the mob.

  
Law knew that he had to get away from the ever-growing mob fast, before he ran out of energy. Turning down a long hallway, his mind flashed unbidden back to the previous weekend.

  
_"C'mon Captain, it'll be_ fun! _Just think of it, an all-expense paid weekend at a swanky hotel full of skimpily-dressed ladies..." Shachi pondered, his eyes going glassy at the thought._

  
_"That may be your idea of a 'fun time,' Shachi-ya, but not mine. I'd rather stay at home and be forced to watch a gardening show marathon than hang out with a group of nerds that dress in eye-searingly bright costumes, many with fake yet still pointed weapons," Law groused from his easy chair. He crossed his arms and glared at the three men slouched on his couch._

  
_The four friends had gathered for their once-monthly movie night. Since it was at Law's apartment this month, he had the choice of the first movie they watched. He had chosen a gripping medical drama which he had always meant to watch, but the other three had found boring. Everything was going his way for once, until halfway through, Shachi paused the DVD, despite the remote previously being buried amid empty pizza boxes, half-eaten Chinese food takeout containers and partially empty cans of beer._

  
_"We're_ panelists _, Captain. Its our_ first time _doing this_ ever. _Wouldn't you like to be there to_ _witness our_ very first _anime convention appearance as the_ _Valentine_ _pirate voice actors?" Bepo asked, his dark blue eyes begging the surgeon to say "yes."_

  
_Law felt himself melt as he met the sad eyes of his oldest friend. It was a shy, chubby 14 year old Bepo who had first befriended the gruff new transfer student, later introducing him to Penguin and then Shachi while they were all still in middle school. The quartet have been friends ever since, despite currently working in vastly different careers._

  
_"Look Captain, all three of us already know about your 'don't admit you're Swiftsure' contract. Any questions directed towards you will be deflected by all three of us. We_ promise _," Penguin added while the other two men nodded vigorously._

  
"Captain! Take two rights and a left and cut through the kitchen!" Law heard Penguin shout through his Bluetooth. Due to the screaming fans chasing him, he hadn't heard his phone’s ringtone go off.

  
"Okay!" he replied breathlessly. Heading to the first right, he ran into the wall and bounced down the hallway towards the second right, the mob nearly at his heels. Taking the second right, he grabbed a door on the left and yanked it open. It shut just as the first of the cosplayers turned the corner and ran past the door, continuing down the hall.

  
Quickly looking around, he surmised where he was.

  
"I'm in the kitchen Penguin. Now what?" he panted into his Bluetooth.

  
"Walk straight through the kitchen until you see stacked produce boxes. Go through the doors near them, they should take you outside to the loading dock. The rental car with us inside will be waiting for you."

  
Wiping sweat and gelled hair from his brow with his overcoat sleeve, Law hurried through the kitchen, not seeing anything that looked like boxes of stacked produce.

  
Unknown to either Penguin or Law, the produce from that morning had either been put away or already used by the kitchen staff.

  
Hurrying through the bustling kitchen readying for the lunch crowd, Law found himself at a set of swinging double doors.

  
_I hope these go to the loading docks,_ he thought pushing one open.

  
Instead of a loading dock ramp, he found himself in an elaborate private dining room just as his sweat-dampened hair fell into his eyes, obscuring his vision. He heard a collective gasp from the patrons as he again wiped his eyes clear. Blinking, he tried to focus his stinging eyes on the people in front of him when one of the customers rose from their seat and approached him. When he was able to see clearly again, he gasped, his legs giving way as the color drained from his face.

  
"Captain! What happened? Are you alright? Where are you? What's going on?" squawked Penguin into the surgeon's Bluetooth.

  
Law didn't hear the voice yelling into his ear as he sat down hard on the marble floor. All he heard was the footsteps of one of the customers as they came closer. Golden eyes wide with shock, he began to mentally pray to deities that he didn't believe in that the person in front of him wasn't who he thought it was.

  
The patron squatted down in front of him to look at him eye to eye. Golden eyes dropping to his own lap, the surgeon didn't notice the brilliant smile that he knew would appear on the face before him, a smile that he had dreamed about times too numerous to count.

  
"Hello Law," Monkey D. Luffy said in a reserved voice.

  
_He never referred to me as Law...unless he was being serious,_ the thought flashing through the logical side of his mind.

  
Raising his head, Law could only stare at the man in front of him before the logical part of his brain kicked in. Reaching up, he shut off the Bluetooth as he took in his ex-boyfriend’s physical changes. Luffy’s face, while still round, had become more proportionate to his ears. His chest, arms and shoulders had filled out more, but the straw-hatted man was still more or less as rail-thin as he was the last time the doctor had seen him..

 

One thing had not changed. He still had the largest smile Law has ever seen.

  
" _LAW!"_ cried a high-pitched voice as the blue-haired man found himself hugged by a small body with curly medium brown hair. He recognized fellow doctor Tony Tony Chopper immediately despite not seeing him for a few years. He grimaced when the younger man sobbed into his shirt, wetting it with tears and snot. Patting the small teen, he looked up just in time to see the rest of the StrawHats approach. Before he knew it, he was picked up from the floor, hugged and patted by the entire group of people in the room.

  
Everyone but one.

  
Luffy stood back and watched as his friends bombarded the surgeon with questions.

  
Still patting Chopper’s shoulder, Law did his best to acknowledge everyone. For a brief moment, he and Luffy locked eyes before the surgeon guiltily looked away. For some inexplicable reason, Luffy kept his distance despite his obvious joy at seeing his ex-boyfriend.

  
When the greetings had finally died down, Law felt a slight hand wrap around his wrist. Looking up, he spied Nami right before she led him to the ladies' room off of the private dining room. Leading the doctor inside, she pushed him down on the ornate bench right inside the doorway. Pacing back and forth a few times, she finally sat down next to him, taking one of his slender hands in her own.

  
"Look Law, there's something you should know before you go back out there,’ she began, pausing before taking a deep breath then blowing it out. “Luffy...he took you breaking up with him _very_ hard," she explained as she raised her head and locked determined brown eyes with Law's golden ones.

  
"But, if you plan on hurting him again, I _promise you_ that I as well as the rest of the StrawHats will make sure that Luffy will _never_ be hurt by you! So swear to me _now_ that you won’t hurt him _ever_ again!!" Nami momentarily squeezed Law's fingers tight to get her point across.

  
Surprised at her fierce reaction, Law could only blink owlishly at her before responding.

 

"I can assure you that I did not attend this convention to find Luf...Mugiwara-ya...just to hurt him. I didn't even know that any of you were scheduled to attend, much less deliberately decide to meet up with him," Law explained, incensed. Looking at her hand still wrapped around his fingers, the surgeon seemed to collapse in on himself.

  
"Besides, why would he want to be with me again after how badly I hurt him? I ignored him completely the rest of the time I was in high school and all throughout college, despite his numerous attempts at my attention."

  
Crossing her arms across her ample chest, Nami's eyes searched the blue-haired man's face before gasping.

  
"You...you're still in love with him, aren't you?" she whispered, wide-eyed.

  
Law looked away, his expression remorseful as he nodded once.

  
"I never stopped," he quietly admitted out loud for the very first time.

  
Law and Nami both jumped as the ladies room door burst open.

  
"CAPTAIN! Are you alright?" Penguin yelled, followed closely by Bepo and Shachi.

  
"When you didn't come out the loading dock door, we thought that the batshit-crazy fans caught you and tore you into ebay-sized pieces!" Shachi added.

  
"You could have told us you were okay!" Penguin fussed.

  
"I knew he'd get away," Bepo said, smiling slightly. "Great to see you again, Nami-san," he added, bowing. Smiling back, she bounced her head in return.

  
"What were you two talking about...and in the ladies bathroom no less," Penguin asked, looking around.

  
Shachi took in the fresh flowers in the corners, on the counter in front of the mirror and on the wallpaper, his lips in a mou.

  
"...So many flowers, looks like someone died," the red-head muttered.

  
"Captain, lets hang out with the StrawHats like we used to," suggested Penguin.

  
Law, who had sat quietly while his three friends talked, abruptly stood.

  
"I would appreciate it if you spoke to no one of our conversation," he said, turning to the orange-haired woman.

  
Nami nodded, then smiled wickedly at the surgeon.

  
"Only if you do something for me first," she cooed, smirking.

  
"Uh oh, I know that expression!" Penguin warned.

  
"Good luck Captain, you're gonna need it!" Shachi cried out.

  
"Don't worry Captain, we'll help you with it, no matter what it is,” Bepo promised.

  
"Don't worry, its for your own good," Nami said, closing an eye and waggling a finger at Law.

  
"Us StrawHats are going to help you get back together with Luffy," Nami declared.

  
"We're dead!" Shachi wailed.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm going to try and post something every Friday this month. After all, Law was born in October, and Halloween's/Samhain's coming too!
> 
> Oh, and I don't know if anime studios actually use a treadmill for beginner Voice Actors, but it would make _total_ sense to me if they did.  >: 3


	6. The Clinical Trials Begin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Do you really think this’ll work?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YAY! I'm able to post this on Friday! Sorry its late, I take the blame. But as long as its before Midnight, I'm happy. (^_^)
> 
> As always, I thank the ever-patient Eiri for dealing with my craptastic writing. Love ya! <3 
> 
> Ryuichi
> 
> *~*~*~*~*
> 
> In the section titled 'The Nose Knows,' there is a bit of self-harm. **PLEASE** be aware when reading it if you are prone to being triggered!!!
> 
>  
> 
> **TRIGGER WARNING!**
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> **1.) Drunken self-pity  
> **  
>  **2.) Accidental self-harm resulting in a fracture**
> 
>  
> 
> If I miss a trigger, PLEASE say so in the comments, I read (and answer) every comment I get! Thank you.
> 
> Ryuichi

 

**Sword Fight**

**Clinical Trial Number: One  
Day and Time: 1:17pm Friday afternoon**

 

Law’s golden eyes perused the suite’s luxurious bedroom as he waited for Zoro to hand him the item he was carrying.

  
“I take it that Nami-ya spoke to you,” Law asked, frowning slightly.

  
“She talked to all of us earlier. She _suggested_ that I help you out,” Zoro explained, a quick flash of annoyance crossing his handsome features.

  
“Do you really think this’ll work?” Law asked, as he held out his hands.

 

‘Of _course_ it'll work, Luffy loves cool things, and nothing is cooler than that," Zoro explained. He placed the long package into Law's hands, careful to not disturb the loose wrapping.

  
"He's been eyeing it since we went into the Dealers' Room earlier today, Law. One way or another he was gonna end up with it. You might as well be the one to give it to him. The dealer told me it was the last one she had."

  
Juggling the long package, Law frowned as he re-wrapped the present, adding a red bow to one end. He stood up and replaced the left-over wrapping paper on the hotel suite desk.

  
"Thank you Zoro-ya. I will be sure to..."

  
The door to the suite burst open and a small body hit Zoro hard.  Fortunately, the green-haired man was used to the antics of his best friend.

  
"I got it Zoro! The dealer said it was the very last one! 1  Its the exact sword-thingie that Captain Swiftsure had in the movie! It even has the crosses on the case! Isn't it cool?" he asked, unsheathing the nodachi and waving it around.

  
Law ducked just in time to avoid getting a bad haircut by Luffy, one that would have taken off an ear as well.

  
"Luffy, you nearly took off Law's head! Watch where you swing that damned thing," Zoro cautioned.

  
"Oops! Sorry, sorry!" Luffy said as he stopped swinging the nodachi.

  
Law bowed to the enthusiastic man, his face red as he picked up the nodachi-shaped package he had just finished wrapping.

  
"I'll pay you back for this, Zoro-ya," he said as he quickly made his way to the door.

  
"Did you give him a sword-thingie too, Zoro?" Luffy asked.

  
Zoro audibly facepalmed as Law hurriedly left the hotel room.

 

 **Hypothesis - Zoro: Luffy loves cool things, give him something cool.**  
**Result: Failure**  
**Reason: Dealer willing to say _anything_ t o make a sale, even on the first day of con .**

  
*~*~*~*~*

  
**Tea Time**

**Clinical Trial Number: Two  
Day and Time: 3:57pm Friday afternoon**

 

  
Law slowly walked over to the hotel suite and stood outside the door.

  
_Why am I here?_ he thought. _Do I really want to do this?_

  
At exactly 4PM, a melodious voice called out from behind the door. “Come in Law-san, its open.”

  
Law tentatively opened the door and entered, closing it shut behind him. Standing too close to the door, he looked around the room. He found himself standing in an expensive-looking living area with doors leading off of it to other rooms.

  
Standing in front of a pair of French doors that lead to a balcony, Robin stood silhouetted by the late afternoon sun. Wearing a dark purple mini-length dress and matching stockings, her black-slippered feet made no sound as she moved over to a pair of chairs in front of a low table. On the low table sat a delicate-looking bone china tea set, black roses and bluebirds etched on each piece.

  
“Would you like a cup of tea, Law-san? Or coffee if you prefer,” she offered, sitting down and pouring herself a cup.

  
“Yes, tea please. I would appreciate some, thank you very much,” Law answered, taking the seat across from her. She poured him a cup and picked up a sugar bowl.

  
“How many lumps of sugar would you prefer?” she asked, tongs at the ready.

  
“One,” he replied, golden eyes watching as a single lump was added to his cup.

  
“Milk? Cream?” she asked.

  
“None, thank you,” he responded, picking up a spoon. Stirring his cup, he waited as she added a dollop of cream to her tea, then lifted the saucer and cup to her lips.

  
Blowing on the liquid a few times, Robin returned Law’s gaze.

  
Law waited patiently at he lifted his own cup to his lips. He blew on it a few times before taking a sip.

  
“Earl Gray,” he guessed.

  
“Very good, Law-san. It is wonderful to see that you haven’t lost your tea palate these last few years.”

  
“I actually use it at work meetings. It impresses the higher-ups,” Law replied. “I’ll always be grateful to my teacher,” he nodded at her. “For showing me how to have proper etiquette.”

 

“You’re welcome,” she returned, smiling at the young doctor.

  
The pair sipped at their tea until Robin’s cup was half-finished. She set her teacup on the saucer and placed both on the table.

  
“Law-san, you know I didn’t call you here just to enjoy tea with you, as enjoyable as it may be.” she began.

  
Nodding, the blue-haired man placed his cup on its saucer and sat back.

  
“I have an idea and I feel that it may not only benefit you, but Luffy-san as well.”

  
By the end of the discussion, Law left the suite with two tickets to a local museum’s exhibit and a perplexed expression as the door shut behind him.

  
“Wha...what just happened?” he asked himself before he turned to head towards the elevator.

 

  
**Hypothesis - Robin: Take him someplace interesting.**  
**Result: Failure**  
**Reason: Having _no idea_ what to do with museum tickets _and_ Luffy.**

  
*~*~*~*~*

 

**A Drunk Funk**

**Clinical Trial Number: Three  
Day and Time: 8:33pm Friday evening**

 

 _Can I_ r eally _take Luff_ _...uh..._ _Mugiwara-ya_ _to such a place? Will he want to go? More importantly, will he want to go with_ me? _’_ the emotional side of Law’s brain pondered.

  
"...Mugiw...uh...Luffy-ya. I was...given...tickets to see a museum exhibit. I would like it very much if you were to accompany me."

  
"No...no. That won't do."

  
Law scrubbed a hand through too-long, messy dark blue hair for the umpteenth time before peering at himself in the bathroom mirror.

  
"No, not a "museum exhibit,” he's not going to want to go if I say that."

  
Frustrated, Law rubbed his hair violently, his mirror image doing the same.

  
"Perhaps if I describe the exhibit as what it is, a series of humans and various body parts dipped in plastic and preserved forever.2  That would get him interested," The logical side of his brain suggested.

  
"No. That won't work. Mugiwara-ya won't want to see a museum exhibit, much less with me," he said, his shoulders wilting. The image in front of him did the same. Law looked at himself, then frowned.

  
"If I had spent the last few years pretending that _you_ didn't exist, ignoring any attempts at getting my attention, and overlooking you as if _you_ were invisible, would _you_ want to go out on a date with _me?_ " he asked the mirror.

 

The image shook its head.

  
Law sighed and placed his hands on the sink, barely missing the half-empty bottle of tequila.

  
"Honestly, I wouldn't want to be in the _same room_ with you after that."

  
The image shrugged.

  
"Luffy was my friend before we started dating. And I was a shitty friend and an even shittier boyfriend. I _completely_ _ignored_ him! Like he didn’t even exist!"

  
"How could I have hurt him so deeply?"

  
Picking up the bottle, Law drank a healthy swallow before glaring at himself in the mirror. The image glared back, gold eyes laced with red veins, teeth bared in self-anger and wild midnight blue hair.

  
Truly a frightening image to anyone but Law.

  
"And now he's probably down at the rave dancing with someone that actually _pays attention_ to him."

  
The doctor sighed deeply before leaning back and tilting the tequila bottle into his mouth, letting the rest of the alcohol slide down his throat. The worm at the bottom of the bottle briefly gave the illusion of life before it disappeared down his throat.

 

Unfortunately, the usually steady surgeon leaned too far back, ending up back-first, feet in the air in the dry bathtub.

  
"FUCK!"

  
Throwing an arm over his eyes, he inhaled deeply once more as he fought back tears of shame and remorse over what could have been.

 

  
**Hypothesis - Law: How do I get a man like Luffy to go to a museum?**  
**Result: Failure**  
**Reason: Drunken self-pity.**

 
    
    
    *~*~*~*~*

  
**The Nose Knows**

 **Clinical Trial Number: Four**  
**Day and Time: 5:07am Saturday morning**

  
"Wake _up_ Captain or you're gonna be late!" Penguin cried out.

  
Law tried to ignore the voice as it reverberated in the bathroom.

  
"I say we just turn on the cold water. That'll wake him the hell up," the doctor heard Shachi suggest.

  
"It could put him in a bad mood. Not good for going out on a date with someone," Bepo explained.

  
"At least he'd be sober," Shachi replied.

  
Law heard the empty tequila bottle scrape against the sink.

  
“Tequila. Fuck!” Shachi commented, staring at the bottle in his hand. “He’s wasted!”

  
Groaning, Law rolled over and promptly banged his nose hard on the bathtub faucet. Blood began to gushfrom his nose as he threw his hands up to his face.

  
"Captain! Are you okay?"

  
Bepo’s shriek pierced through Law’s brain.

  
"Here, a towel!" Shachi said, handing him a white hand towel.

  
"I'll get some ice! Be right back!" Penguin cried as he rushed out of the bathroom.

  
Tilting his pounding head back Law held the towel to his bloody nose. He Felt hands lift him up out of the bathtub and over to sit on the toilet lid. He moaned, a wave of nausea overriding the pain in his nose.

 

"You need some painkillers. I'll go get some," Bepo said, following after Penguin.

  
Shachi looked at Law as he sat with his head back and eyes closed, still trying to staunch the bleeding with the blood-soaked towel. Shachi shook his head at his friend and frowned, hands on hips.

 

"You really should just admit to yourself you still love Mugiwara, yannow?” he said. “Penguin, Bepo and I all see it. Even the StrawHats can see it, Lawrence."

  
The surgeon blinked, trying to focus bloodshot golden eyes on Shachi.

  
_Did he_ really _just use my full name?_

  
"I hate seeing you throwing away your happiness simply because of some stupid fuckin' teenage idea that you're a craptastic boyfriend. Yeah you were,” Shachi said. “But you and Luffy were both _kids_ back then. Now you're adults. Grow up and act like one!"

  
Shachi sighed, shoulders slumping. "Its okay if you still love him,” he said gently. “We just want to see you both happy, that's all. You were happy when you two were together, remember? Sure you're not high school kids anymore, but if he's willing to get back with _you_ , you should get back with _him_. So take him to that museum-thing, have a good time and get to know him again, okay?"

  
Law stared bleary-eyed at his red-headed friend, who simply gazed back.

  
"I'b pwetty thure by doze ib frac’ured," Law mumbled into the towel as both Penguin and Bepo returned.

  
"Here Captain. Some painkillers from your med-kit," Bepo said, rattling the bottle. He placed it on the sink while Penguin worked on the ice pack.

  
"Its a good thing you made sure we were all First Aid certified before the con, isn't it?" Penguin said. He picked up a clean washcloth, put in some ice cubes from the ice bucket he was carrying and turned on the faucet. Quickly passing the bundle under the cold water to wet it, he handed it to Law.

  
"When you can, take off the towel and let me take a look at it Captain," he instructed.

  
Law carefully moved the towel away from his nose. A fresh rush of blood hit his shirt, making him slap the towel back on his nose. He yelped and closed his watering eyes when a new wave of blinding pain hit.

  
"That looked like it hurt," Penguin quipped while Shachi and Bepo nodded in agreement.

  
As the pain dulled, Law carefully removed the towel. The bleeding had finally stopped. He put the makeshift ice pack onto the bridge of his nose, sighing at the cold-induced numbness.

  
"We’re going to have to set your nose, Captain. Don't forget, keep the ice pack on for ten minutes, then take it off for ten minutes," Shachi reminded him. "You don't need frostbite on top of a broken nose."

  
"An' whoze da doc'or?" Law fussed. It hurt to speak, so he silently held out his hand for the painkillers.

  
Opening the bottle, Bepo shook out two onto Law’s palm.

  
Removing the ice-pack, Law dry-swallowed them.

  
"Captain, _you_ more than anyone should know better than to take painkillers dry," Penguin fussed as he turned on the faucet and filled a hotel glass.

  
Law drank half the water before he realized his three best friends were staring at him.

  
"Wha’?" he asked, annoyed, as he gingerly replaced the ice-pack and leaned his head back once more.

  
"You're gonna have two nice shiners ta go on your date with Mugiwara, Captain," Shachi said, leaning in close.

  
"Looks like you won't need any stitches, but you should have your nose taken care of, Penguin added, frowning.

  
"I'll get a splint and clean bandages, Captain," Bepo said, exiting once more.

  
"Can diz day ge' abny worsh?" Law asked rhetorically.

 

 **Hypothesis – Shachi: Just admit to yourself you’re still in love with him already!**  
**Result: Failure**  
**Reason: Breaking one's own nose truly sucks**

  
*~*~*~*~*

  
**Bright Morning Light**

 **Clinical Trial** **Number:** **Five**  
**Day and Time:** **6:14am Saturday** **m** **orning**

  
  
Extremely grateful that his pain pills were working on both his nose and headache, Law carefully adjusted his large sunglasses on his splinted nose. He took a sip from his much-needed coffee and glanced around the coffee shop, taking in the other customers. Many of them were already in full cosplay despite the early hour. He watched as a barista turned the lights off one by one, allowing the morning sun to illuminate the atrium.

  
Sighing, he tapped his index fingers nervously on the cup while he waited.

  
"Hello Law," he heard behind him. He ceased his finger-drumming at the all-too familiar voice.

  
Placing down a cup brimming with whipped cream, Monkey D. Luffy took a seat across from him, a broad smile breaking out underneath oversized sunglasses. His battered straw hat sat low.

  
Law saw himself reflected in the other man’s dark lenses

  
Blushing a deep red, Law found he couldn't speak.

  
Every fancy apology, every speech he had practiced since last night fled like stars in the daytime, leaving his normally busy mind blank.

  
Standing abruptly, he bowed low in apology and hurried off, leaving his coffee behind in his haste.

 

  
**Hypothesis – Law: I’ll apologize calmly over coffee, like an adult.**  
**Result: Failure**  
**Reasons: Struck dumb by Luffy's smile.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1 - I'm willing to bet that most dealers at anime cons are honest and don't say "its the last one I have," but I have encountered a _very_ few that I later found out did use that tactic to make a sale. 
> 
> 2 - Law is describing a Body Worlds exhibit. If you ever wanted to see what actual human beings look like with no skin, what human organs look like and more, I highly recommend going if you get the chance!


	7. Maid Just for You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Law goes to the Dealer's Room and then....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because I have a BAD habit of posting my stories at a lower level until I get to the sexy-times I might have given people the wrong impression that the rating won't change. 
> 
> I"m going to stop doing that now and rate it where it should be. 
> 
> Explicit.
> 
> You've been warned. >: PPPP
> 
> Don't worry, the sex is coming. ~~*slaps self for bad pun* >: D ~~
> 
> Thanks to Eiri for the chapter title. 
> 
> And once again, Eiri also saved my sorry ass from embarrassing myself with incoherent sentences. I truly believe you're the best beta _EVER!_ <3 <3 <3
> 
> Ryuichi
> 
> A/N: 3inches = 7.5cm  
> 6'3" = 191cm, but in my headcanon, Law's 6'5"/195cm when he wears his boots.

 

**Maid Just for You**

**Clinical Trial** **Number:** **Six**  
**Day and Time:** **8:59am Saturday Morning**

  
Dressed in a casual pair of blue jeans and a light gray, long-sleeved t-shirt, Law waited patiently for the Dealers’ room doors to open for the day. Shifting from foot to foot, he hoped that the item he had agonized over was still available. Absently, he wished he had remembered to grab his large sunglasses to at least hide his duel black eyes. However, there was nothing he could do about the splint on his nose.

  
When the doors unlocked at 9, the blue-haired man practically ran over to the booth at the back corner wall where he had last seen the item. His heart pounding, he winced when adrenaline caused a sudden surge of pain in his fractured nose. Eyes watering, he waved to the dealer while other con-goers clamored around the table. Breathless, the surgeon pointed to the item and watched as the dealer took it down from the high shelf. Catching his breath, Law pulled out his wallet and looked into it, eyes nearly crossing with pain.

  
_I_ really _need to_ _administer to myself_ _more pain med_ _ication._ _The previous dose is wearing off_ _,_ he thought as he pulled out the requisite amount of money, inadvertently bumping into a pink-haired girl.

  
“Aren’t you the gentleman that the Valentine Pirates called ‘Captain?’ ” a cat-eared girl in a pink and white maid outfit asked.

  
“Yeah, that’s him, I recognize the blue hair. But what happened to his _face?_ ” asked a chubby Green Power Ranger.

  
Law chose to ignore the conversation as he paid for the item and turned to go, nearly stepping on the feet of a Yuri Plisetsky cosplayer, complete with skates draped over his shoulder.

  
“Hey! I remember that hair and those real tattoos from the Valentine Pirates panel! That’s the guy that was Captain Swiftsure’s inspiration!” Yuri shouted, pointing.

  
Everyone within eyesight turned to look at Law.

  
Thinking fast, the blue-haired man held up the item he had just purchased, effectively hiding his injured face as another wave of pain and dizziness hit.

  
“I can assure you, I am just another con-goer purchasing this….” he began weakly.

  
“May I shake your hand?” asked an elderly man dressed as General Iroh.

  
“Can I have a hug, Captain Swiftsure?” squealed a Grell cosplayer.

  
“I want a kiss!” a deep voice cried from the crowd.

  
Law turned to see a guy with a handlebar mustache in a Misty from Pokemon cosplay.

  
Pale, Law hugged the newly-purchased precious item close as his flight-or-fight instinct kicked in. Despite his dizziness, he felt his body tense in preparation to flee.

  
“Leave him alone you assho...uh, mean people! Can’t you see he’s not feeling well?” the cat maid shouted, stamping a chunky heeled pink shoe.

  
Seemingly from out of nowhere,15 maids appeared, each dressed in cat ears, tails and collars from various anime.

  
“Its the CatMaid Army!” shrieked a terrified boy in a classic Japanese middle school uniform.

  
Frowning, the pink CatMaid pointed towards Law and pouted cutely.

  
Almost as if they had practiced, the other CatMaids surrounded Law facing out, arms linked.

  
Law thought it was the cutest police line he’d ever seen.

  
“Maids! Captain Swiftsure-sama is not feeling well,” the pink CatMaid called out. “We must see to it that he gets to wherever it is he needs to go!”

  
“I...I’m not him….” the surgeon began.

  
“Yes Jewelry-san!” The maids acknowledged as one, interrupting Law.

  
“Goshujin-sama1? Where is it you need to go?” the pink CatMaid...Jewelry-san asked, curtsying.

  
“Back to the hotel please….” the surgeon replied as another wave of dizziness hit.

  
“Kitty! Goshujin-sama needs you to serve him!” Jewelry yelled, cupid-bow lips pouting cutely.

  
“I’m comin’, Jewelry!” a different deep voice called out. “Hold your fuckin’ horses already!”

  
Watering gold eyes huge, Law looked up...and up at the tall CatMaid who stepped forward to stiffly bow towards him.

  
Wearing a red maid outfit with black lace trim and a yellow apron that somehow showed off a muscular body, Kitty was easily well over Law’s 6’3” height. In front of brilliant scarlet hair pulled into two upright, short ponytails sat two black cat ears with yellow bows. Black stockings adorned powerful-looking legs that ended in yellow 3 inch high chunky-heeled, cat-faced shoes. Black lipstick and fingernails made the maid’s already pale skin seem even more so. Reddish-orange eyes gazed down at the surgeon before the CatMaid bowed low. The surgeon got a quick glimpse of a black cat tail with a large gold bow on it when Kitty stood back up.

  
“Its an original uniform,” the gigantic maid stage-whispered proudly.

  
Law could only stare.

  
“I am at ya service, Goshujin-sama,” Kitty announced in a deep voice. “And actually, its Kiddy, er, Kid. Eustass Kid, but ya may call me Kiddy if it pleases ya. I will happily take ya ta wherever ya need ta go.”

 

“Uh….” Law stammered.

  
Bending down, Kid explained. “Its okay. My stupid fuckin’ girlfriend...uh...Jewelry warned me we might havta do somethin’ like this after seein’ ya at tha Valentine Pirates panel,” he grumbled into Law’s ear. “She’s a hopeless fuckin’ fangirl, so she volunteered tha CatMaid Army’s services to help ya celebs out. I’m assigned ta ya.”

 

Stepping back, Kid bowed once more and picked up the doctor and his item princess-style. Law clutched the item close to his chest as three CatMaid Army members opened the line. Con-goers parted like a hot knife through butter for the pair.

  
“Take care, Goshujin-sama! We hope you feel better soon!” Jewelry cried out, her sentiment echoed by other Army members. A few waved lace handkerchiefs as the pair moved away.

 

Law winced as the maids’ cries echoed painfully in his ears.

  
Striding purposely down the concourse, Kid moved like a football linebacker, nimbly avoiding the worst of the crowds. People rapidly moved out of the way of the enormous maid in yellow chunky-heeled shoes.

  
Law felt almost guilty at the look of sheer terror on many of their faces whenever Kid growled at them.

  
Almost.

  
“So. Goshujin-sama. Are ya _really_ the inspiration for Captain Swiftsure?” Kid asked out of the blue. “That’s tha rumor that’s been spreadin’ ‘round the con. I missed ya at tha Valentine pirate’s panel, Jewelry insisted that we get there stupid-early ta get front row seats. I fell asleep an’ didn’t wake up ‘til everyone was runnin’ out tha room. I thought it was a fire at first.”

  
Surprised, Law considered the question and surmised that it would be in his best interest to answer truthfully. “I’m sorry, but I’m not at liberty to say.”

  
“I see,” Kid replied thoughtfully as he moved through a Teen Titans photoshoot. “Just so ya know, as your maid _and_ as a member of tha Catmaid Army, anythin’ ya choose ta say ta me will be kept in tha strictest confidence. Forever.”

  
Law hummed thoughtfully at the statement.

  
“Just a moment. Does this mean that you are offering your services to act as my maid for the rest of the convention?” the surgeon queried as Kid sidestepped a mother Jedi pushing a pair of tiny Jawa in a stroller.

  
“Yeah. Jewelry said it was upta me ta decide if I wanted ta or not. All I ask in return is ta meet Iron Guy Franklin. He’s my favorite Romance Dawn character, but his voice actor is also a brilliant mechanical engineer, somethin’ I’m currently majorin’ in in college. I’d love ta get his autograph,” Kid admitted, heading towards the hotel’s elevator.

  
The milling faction of cosplayers waiting in the elevators’ hallway suddenly disappeared as the pair approached.

  
“I’m sure I can arrange for you to meet him,” Law said thoughtfully. “I’ve known the StrawHats since high school.”

  
“So ya really ARE the inspiration for Captain Swiftsure! I fuckin’ _knew_ it!” Kid gushed while pressing the up button.

  
The doors opened and after the occupants took one look at the frowning catmaid’s face, they quickly vacated the elevator.

  
“Again, I’m afraid I cannot legally say,” the surgeon confessed. “But if you decide to keep that opinion, I am not going to dissuad you.” He held the item steady as the pair stepped onto the now-empty elevator. Law reached out and pressed a button before gently patting the item he was carrying.

  
Watching the man in his arms, Kid noticed the gesture. “You must really like plushies to get one so large,” he said.

  
“Not really. Its a present for...a friend.”

  
“Hmmm...I see,” Kid said thoughtfully.

  
Together, they rode in the elevator. When the doors opened, the throng of waiting cosplayers once more parted like the Red Sea before the giant CatMaid and his charge.

  
“That way, Kitty...uh, Kid-ya,” Law directed, pointing down the long, empty hallway.

  
“Yes Goshujin-sama,” Kid replied as he began to walk.

  
“You can put me down now, I am perfectly capable of walking. I am simply taking you a different way so that those con-goers don’t know where I’m staying, if that’s all right with you,” the blue-haired man revealed.

  
“Whateva ya need, Goshujin-sama but, I’m happy ta keep carryin’ ya. Ya aint very heavy ta me.”

  
“Law. My name is Law. Or Doctor Trafalgar if you wish to remain formal,” Law explained.

  
Kid stopped in his tracks, staring down at his charge. “Y...ya really _are_ Captain Swiftsure, ain’t ya?” he gasped, awestruck.

  
Law’s nose pain began seeping back as his heart rate rose.

  
“I’m so sorry Goshu...Law-sama!” Kid cried out, resuming his walk down the hallway. “Its jus’ that I know that Swiftsure and Trafalgar are both classes of submarines. It...used ta be a hobby of mine to build submarine models,” the red-head admitted, blushing slightly.

  
Law’s pain returned full force.

  
Noticing Law’s discomfort, Kid hurried down the hallway.

"Where are we going, Law-sama?” he asked.

  
“Over there,” Law pointed, wincing. His finger pointed to a door at the very end of the hallway. Reaching into his back pocket, the surgeon produced a keycard and handed it to Kid, who proceeded to unlock the door.

  
“I am three stories up, in one of the suites,” Law explained breathlessly, closing his eyes.

  
“Okay, Law-sama. I’ll get ya there safely, I promise,” Kid replied, taking the stairs three at a time but still being careful not to rock the injured man.

  
Law was for once happy that the immense maid had not put him down. He was willing to swear that even though it was physically impossible, his nose was trying to play a drum solo, using his head as the drum. By now, even his eyeballs hurt.

  
Once again using the keycard, Kid arrived at the requested floor.

By now, Law could only point to the proper room as he was beginning to think he would pass out from the pain.

  
Opening the suite’s door, Kid entered the room...and stopped.

  
After a few moments, Law was able to blink open an eye. Confused gold eyes met astonished red-orange ones, Kid’s mouth hanging open with surprise.

  
“Fuck. I was hoping that I’d get to finish this _before_ you showed back up,” a familiar voice grumbled from inside the suite.

  
Law painfully turned his head to see Franky sitting on a tarp in the center of the large suite, surrounded by machine parts and other odds and ends. What looked like a wooden treasure chest sat in front of him. It was quite apparent he had been interrupted while working on yet another contraption.

  
“That’s...a lot of cellophane,” Kid acknowledged, using his head to indicate the huge roll that sat off to one side of the sky blue-haired man.

  
Franky winked at the pair. “Can’t be too careful these days!” he chirped.

  
“How did you get in here?” the surgeon painfully gasped, briefly frowning before his nose reminded him of its injury.

  
Franky smirked. “Didjya really think I couldn’t get in a locked hotel room?” he said before his face fell and he looked away, pouting. “...besides, Bepo loaned me his keycard.”

  
Kid couldn’t help but chuckle.

  
“So what are you doing in our suite, and what are you building in the center of it?” Law queried before another wave of pain coursed through his nose, causing him to wince yet again.

  
“Law-sama? Ya mentioned ya had pain medicine. I’m going ta put ya in tha chair. Tell me where it is an’ I’ll get it for ya, okay?” Kid suggested. Carefully, he placed the surgeon on the closest chair and stood, waiting instructions.

  
“Kid-ya, bring me the green case inside of the black suitcase in my room, please. Its the room off to the left,” Law said, shivering as another wave of pain hit.

  
“Whoa, Law-bro, who hit you?” Franky asked while Kid walked towards the door.

“I...had an accident in the bathroom,” Law replied in a low voice.

  
“Yeah, Bepo mentioned something along those lines. He said you got drunk and whonked your nose _super_ hard on the bathtub faucet,” Franky recounted just as Kid returned with the med kit.

 

If he wasn’t in so much pain, Law would have punched Franky.

  
Opening the case, he took out a pill bottle and shook out two pills, swallowing them dry.

  
“Here ya go, Law-sama,” Kid said, handing him a glass of water.

  
Law downed the cool liquid. “Thank you Kid-ya. For everything.”

  
“I’ll take that,” Kid replied, taking the glass from nerveless fingers to head back to the bathroom.

  
Law leaned back on the chair and once more closed his eyes as he waited for the medicine to work.

  
“So….Law-bro. How did you end up with a CatMaid?” Franky asked as he added a gear to the inside of the wooden box.

  
“You know of them?” Law murmured, opening one eye briefly.

  
“Sure do! They’re famous for helping us celebs at anime conventions,” Franky quipped, just as a spring bounced loose.

  
“I’ll get it Franklin-sama!” Kid offered, hurrying as the spring bounced past Law towards a corner of the suite.

  
“They’re also notorious for being late for nearly everything.” Franky whispered to Law.

  
The surgeon opened his other eye and stared at Franky.

  
“Got it, Franklin-sama!” Kid cried before remembering Law’s headache and lowering his voice.

  
“Thanks Kid. And its just Franky. Iron Guy Franklin is my StrawHat character’s name.” The sky blue-haired man pointed out.

  
“No problem...Franky-sama,” Kid said, bowing as he handed the part back.

  
“My head’s still pounding. I think I’m going to go lie down. Whatever you two do, keep it down please,” Law asked, painfully getting up and heading towards his room.

  
“That’s fine. I should be done in a bit,” Franky announced as Kid bent down to examine the chest.

  
As the pair began to discuss the chest, Law closed the door behind him and carefully set the item in the chair next to the bed. Taking off his boots, he sat down on the bed, relaxing slightly as the medication began to work. Plugging his phone into the charger, he glanced at the time before laying down.

  
_I’ll just take a short nap,_ he thought to himself as the medication finally began to take away the pain.

  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

  
_Law sighed, his feet shuffling as he inched his way through the long lunch line. Wednesdays were pizza day, a day that he had come to dread. The high school senior hated that he was delayed in receiving his customary chef’s salad and chocolate milk lunch. This Wednesday especially, it seemed as if every kid at East Blue High School wanted to cut in front of the stoic teen in an attempt to get their pizza before the last piece disappeared. He glowered as the busy lunch lady automatically put a paper plate containing a slice of pepperoni pizza upon his food tray as it slid by._

  
“ _Are you gonna eat that? You frowned when the lunch lady gave it to you,” asked a voice behind him. Law turned around, his lips already downturned at the question._

  
“ _I don’t like bread, thus I detest pizza,” he grumbled at the speaker, who turned out to be a short, skinny kid with, of all things, a straw hat perched on top of his raven-colored hair. “Why she saw fit to torture me with this foodstuff, I have no idea.”_

  
“ _Shishishi! You talk funny!!” chirped the teen. “I’m Monkey D, Luffy, can I have your pizza?” he asked, smiling innocently up at the taller boy._

  
“ _Only if you buy me my chef’s salad,” the blue-haired teen replied. “And my chocolate milk.”_

  
“ _Will do!” Luffy answered. “Nami, pay for this guy’s food, willya?” he asked a pretty red-haired girl who stood in line behind him._

  
“ _You want me to do WHAT?” she shrieked angrily. “I’m not paying for some guy I don’t know’s food! Besides, you owe me a lunch anyway to replace mine you ate on Thursday!”_

  
“ _Awww c’mon Nami! He’s gonna let me have his pizza if I buy him a salad! You eat salads all the time, so its just like buying yourself one!” Luffy explained._

  
“ _Yeah, a salad_ I _won’t get to eat, you moron!” Nami yelled back.  "Its bad enough I'm paying for your lunch today!  With interest, of course!"  
_

  
“ _Forget it. I’ll buy my own salad,” Law said, resigned to having the offensive pizza on his tray.  
_

“ _Nooooo! I want his pizza!” Luffy whined at Nami, pouting._

  
_For some reason, Law felt something flutter in his chest at the other boy’s expression while the other two continued their argument._

  
_Choosing a chef’s salad and a bottle of chocolate milk, he placed them on his tray and paid for everything. He put the pizza plate onto Luffy’s overfull tray, halting the argument. Luffy gazed incredulously up at him as if the taller boy had handed him a winning multi-million dollar lottery ticket._

  
“ _Here. Problem solved,” Law deadpanned before he began to walk towards the nearby table Penguin, Bepo and Shachi were sitting._

  
“ _WAIT!”_

  
_Law stopped dead in his tracks before turning to look puzzled at Luffy,_

  
“ _Who are you? I wanna pay you back for this!” Luffy asked._

  
“ _Trafalgar Law. Senior. Science and Medical Class A-1,” he replied._

  
“ _That’s the class for gifted students Luffy! He has to be a genius!” Nami explained._

  
“ _So? He talks funny, he fed me and I like him. Trag...Tral...Tree...Torao’s my friend now!” Luffy declared before stuffing the now infamous pepperoni pizza slice into his mouth._

  
“ _I...its okay. You don’t have to pay me back. Its a pizza slice, not a car loan,” Law pointed out, once more heading towards his seat._

  
_Luffy followed behind him, grabbing a chicken leg as it nearly fell from the overfilled lunch tray. Grinning, he sat in a chair at the table across from Law, the other three teens at the table staring at the new face among them._

  
“ _I don’’t care. You fed me when I was really hungry! I overslept today and ran out of the house without breakfast! You saved my life!” Luffy explained, gnawing on the chicken leg and gulping down half of his milk._

  
“ _Besides, Torao has really pretty eyes,” Luffy added, his brown eyes gazing unabashedly into Law’s golden ones._

  
_Law’s heart suddenly began pounding._

  
*~*~*~*~*

  
Law rubbed his face as he sat up on the bed.

  
_Why did I dream about out first meeting?_ The surgeon wondered to himself, his eyes quickly glancing over to the item still sitting in the chair next to the bed.

  
Feeling better now that the pain medication was working, Law listened for a moment to see if the two mechanical engineers were still working on the wooden box. Hearing silence, he picked up his phone to check the time. Barely an hour had passed since he laid down for his nap. Reaching for a boot, he quickly put them on, absently scratching his side. Yawning wide as he opened the bedroom door, he nearly tripped over the wooden chest that now sat outside of it.

  
“What the...” he began before he noticed the tag tied to a red ribbon on the chest.

  
“For both Law AND Luffy,” it read.

  
“Well, _that’ll_ be useless if we never get back together,” he said out loud. He pushed the chest over to sit against the wall next to his door.

  
Shoulders drooping, he left the suite.

 

**Hypothesis – Franky (with help from Kid): I’ll make something SUPER for the two of you!**   
**Result: Failure**   
**Reason: Losing hope that anything could be done to get back together with Luffy.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1.) Goshujin-sama – Basically it means “master” as in “master and servant.” Its what you often hear maids call their masters in many different anime.


	8. With Six You Get Eggroll/The Classic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What just happened?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took me so long to post this, but I had trouble getting it to sound the way I needed it to. The good news is the next chapter is nearly finished! 
> 
> Thank you Eiri for betaing AND for the title of this chapter! Its the name of an old, 1960s movie about a large family that I found hilarious when I was a kid. But then again, I too come from a large family. >: P
> 
> I still haven't figured out why my lines are spaced so wide. I even switched to google docs to try and prevent it. bleah.
> 
> Ryuichi

 

**With Six You Get Eggroll**

**Clinical Trial Number: Seven**

**Day and Time: 12:02 pm Saturday afternoon**

  
  
  


The eye-popping colors on so many cosplay outfits made Law wince as he walked towards the food court.

 

At least the painkillers he took were still working.

 

_ Its truly sad how many characters I recognize,  _ he thought as he moved past a 12 th Doctor Who and a Dalek mugging for the cameras.

 

Once again sporting large sunglasses on his fractured nose, Law made his way through the crowded food court. Relieved that despite looking like the real-life version of Captain Swiftsure D. Writ, his sunglasses, nose bandage and a pair of fingerless skeleton gloves Bepo gave him let him breeze nearly unnoticed through the throngs of con-goers.

 

“ I’M GONNA BE KING OF THE EGG ROLLS!”

 

Law’s ears perked up as he recognized the voice amid a large group of cheering otaku. Pulling the hood of his yellow and black “smiling virus hoodie” onto his head, he pushed past a cosplayer dressed as a huge mech he didn't recognize and found himself in the front row of the competition **.**

 

“ That’s Captain Chimp D. Guffy’s voice actor! Its his first anime convention!” he heard a girl dressed as Sailor Mars say. Following her pointed finger, he spied a familiar straw hatted man sitting as one of the contestants at a platformed table, a huge platter of egg rolls in front of him.

 

“ How many do they each get?” Law heard someone behind him ask.

 

“ Idunno, but last year there was 50, so maybe around that much again,” soeone replied.

 

A beautiful Hoa Bancock from the ‘Romance Dawn’ movie walked out of the restaurant, holding up a blank plaque for everyone to see as Seto Kaiba from Yu-Gi-Oh! explain the rules.

 

“ Good day fellow cosplayers, otaku and everyone else! This is Bao’s Asian Restaurant’s S _ ixth Annual egg roll eating contest! _ Our five contestants each have a  _ huge _ platter of freshly-cooked, delicious hand-made Bao egg rolls!”

 

The crowd clapped politely as the announcer held up a card. He peered at it, then started reading.

 

Law listened and smirked at the simple rules.

 

The egg rolls had to be completely consumed.

 

You barf you’re out. Same if you push back your chair before you’re finished eating.

 

Finish in 30 minutes or all the money rolls over to next year’s contest.

 

The winner’s name, if there was a winner, would go on a plaque in the restaurant.

 

Law huffed at the thought of someone being immortalized for eating free egg rolls.

 

Bancock held up the plaque which now displayed the number “60!” in brilliant blue marker. The crowd went wild, jarring Law out of his thoughts

 

Seto held up the card in his hand for silence.

 

“ This is currently the sixth year no one has won, so the egg roll count is  _ sixty!” _

 

The crowd responded with scattered applause and catcalls.

 

“ And,” Seto continued, “the winner’s pot that started at $500 is now,” he paused.

 

“ HOW MUCH?” someone shouted. “TELL US!” a woman yelled. “A hundred zillion dollars?” a kid cried out.

 

“ _...eleven...hundred...DOLLARS!” _ Seto finished.

 

The crowd went into a frenzy.

 

_ $1100 would buy a lot of stuff in the Dealer’s room.  _ Law thought as someone next to him screamed into his ear.

 

The announcer held up the hand once more. The crowd quickly went silent.

 

Seto flourished his hand gestured to five people sitting in a row at a table. A platter of egg rolls and glasses of water were in front of each of them. He walked behind each contestant, holding his hand up over their heads as he read from his card to introduce them.

 

“ Let me introduce you to our contestants! First of all, Here is our only lady contestant, the  _ enchanting _ Megurine Luka!”

 

She smiled and elegantly waved her hand at the cheering crowd.

 

“ Will you be able to sing after eating so many egg rolls, Luka?”

 

Her smile fell slightly as some in the crowd wolf whistled.

 

Seto raised his hand over the second contestant.

 

“ Second, we have Heiwajima Shizuo from Durarara! It takes a real tough guy to eat all those egg rolls, right Shizuo?”

 

Shizuo coolly adjusted his sunglasses as the crowd applauded.

 

“ Third, we have Kirito from Sword Art Online! I see no Asuna to save your butt this time around, hunh kid?”

 

Pointedly ignoring the comment, Kirito smiled and waved confidently as the onlookers laughed.

 

“ Fourth we have Pirate Seeker Zero! The man who couldn’t beat a 12 year old girl at sword play has found a new way to win. Out eat ‘em!”

“ Or eat ‘em out!” somebody yelled.

 

“ Easy now folks, this is a family event!” Seto warned.

 

Zero crossed his arms and glared menacingly as the crowd hooted and laughed.

 

Law thought Zero looked constipated.

 

And finally, from the hit movie ‘Romance Dawn’, we have Chimp D. Guffy’s voice actor, Monkey D. Luffy making his  _ very first anime convention appearance!  _ Gomu gomu no EGGROLLS!”

 

The strawhatted man waved at the onlookers, who yelled and screamed so loud Law thought he’d end up deaf.

 

“ Lets thank Dressrosa Studios, who also sponsors this contest every year for paying for these  _ delicious  _ egg rolls!”

 

More cheers accompanied the announcement.

 

Waving a hand, Seto held up the card for quiet once again. The noise died down so quickly Law thought he could have heard a pin drop.

 

“ Okay contestants, on my mark you will begin eating! Ready!”

 

The contestants all tensed up...except for Luffy. Instead he waved once more at the audience.

 

“ Set!”

 

Hands reached out, ready to grab egg rolls.

 

“ _ GO!” _

 

Kirito, Zero and Shizuo started eating, two of them dunking theirs into glasses of water and shoving them whole into their mouths. Luka rapidly picked up each egg roll, dunked it, bit each in half and ate each half as fast as she could.

 

Despite being less than half the size of the other contestants, after only a few minutes Luffy was clearly keeping up. Shoving whole egg rolls into his mouth and chewing only a couple times before swallowing, he quickly began to outpace the others.

 

Law stood, arms crossed and a smirk on his face as he watched the smallest contestant.

 

“ Come ON, Chantilly, you can beat that scrawny little rat! Don’t let him win!” shouted Lum in a barely con-legal tiger-striped bikini.

 

Chantilly/Luka threw a quick glare at Luffy as she dunked her egg roll. And then she took a huge bite.

 

Luffy shoved two entire egg rolls into his mouth and chewed five times before swallowing, his hands already reaching for more.

 

Before long, his pile of egg rolls was visibly smaller than everyone else’s. His glass of water sat, untouched.

 

Law’s smirk grew.

 

Luffy shoved three more egg rolls into his mouth, stretching it past normal human limits before swallowing. The mass went down his throat in a observable lump.

 

Kirito paled at the display before reaching for a nearby bucket and vomiting into it.

 

“ Contestant Three, Kirito is  _ OUT! _ ” shouted Seto Kaiba. Some people cheered while others booed the disqualified contestant. “The question now becomes, if you’re barfing in the Real World, are you barfing in the game?”

 

The spectators jeered and laughed as Kirito heaved into the bucket once more.

 

Grinning, Luffy picked up four egg rolls and shoved them into his mouth.

 

Luka paled and swallowed before taking a drink of her water.

 

Shizuo gawped at Luffy, violently shaking his head as if to clear it. Placing his hands on the table, he showed his withdrawal by pushing himself back and crossing his arms on his chest.

 

“ Contestant Number Two, Shizuo is  _ OUT! _ ” shouted Seto.

 

“ A tough guy that picks up refrigerators can’t handle a platter of egg rolls!” snarked Seto.

 

The crowd sneered at the comment.

 

“ Use the refrigerator for the leftovers!” a bystander teased.

 

The sneering increased.

 

“ Look at them eat!” shouted someone behind Law.

 

“ GO! GO! GO!” the audience yelled to the remaining contestants.

 

Determined to finish, the remaining three stepped up their eating.

 

Eighteen egg rolls from finishing, Zero picked up an egg roll, dropped it back onto the platter and hung his head, shaking it from side to side.

 

“ Contestant Number Four, Pirate Seeker Zero is OUT!” called the announcer.

 

Luffy and Luka kept eating, but she was finally beginning to look sick as she forced yet another bite into her mouth.

 

Luffy gleefully ate another three.

 

Luka looked at the six still left on her plate, at her friend, and then back again at her plate before her eyes rolled back into her head and she faceplanted into the center of her platter.

 

Swallowing his last egg roll just as Luka fell forward, Luffy jumped up and stood on his chair. Balling his hands into fists, he threw his arms up into the air.

 

“ _ I’M THE KING OF THE EGG-ROLLS!” _ he crowed proudly.

 

A thunderous roar erupted from the spectators as they clapped and stamped their feet.

 

Even Law applauded the antics of his ex-boyfriend.

 

Dropping his arms as his eyes zeroed in on Law’s, Luffy’s grin turned shy, his face a brilliant red.

 

Law’s eyes widened.  _ He noticed me. Out of this  _ huge _ crowd of people, he somehow saw  _ me.  _ How? And why did he blush?’ Does he...could he...still feel something for me? _

 

_ No. That can’t be it. Not after how shitty I treated him. _

 

Excitedly waving his card around, Seto roared, “Aaaand the FIRST official winner of Bao’s Sixth Annual Egg Roll eating contest is...Chimp D. Guffy’s voice actor,  _ Monkey D. Luffy! _ ”

 

No longer hearing the announcer’s declaration nor the roar of the spectators, Law turned and began to weave his way through the enthusiastic crowd.

 

Law did not see Luffy jump off the platform and head towards him.

 

Before Bao’s new Egg Roll Champion could take two steps, Luffy was lifted onto the shoulders of two men dressed in what looked like blood-splattered nurse uniforms and high heels. The pair paraded Luffy around while the crowd cheered and patted him in congratulation.

 

“ Torao! TORAO!  _ LAW! _ ” he shouted, managing to roll over in the mens’ arms to face the lanky surgeon.

 

Law froze and turned to look at Luffy.

 

“ Take me over there to the guy with the sunglasses! Over THERE!” Luffy commanded the two burly nurses.

 

The trio made their way through the parting throng to stand near Law, who stood frozen in place. He turned around just in time to see Luffy jump down from their arms and immediately into the cheering mob, people patting him on the back and shoulders. Ignoring them, Luffy pushed his way to gaze up at the much taller man, grab the front of his shirt and pulling him down until Law’s face was close to his.

 

“ So...now I have some money,” he shouted into Law’s ear. “Want to go out with me to get some food?”

 

Law could only stare at the strawhatted man as a group of Cat-Maids shrieked and clapped.

 

“ Monkey-sama asked this guy out on a  _ date! _ ” three of them yelled simultaneously.

 

The onlookers went silent.

 

Hidden behind his sunglasses, Law’s wide gold eyes roamed the nearby crowd before returning to Luffy’s expectant face.

 

Everyone held their collective breaths.

 

Even Seto Kaiba was silent.

 

Looking at the floor, Law swallowed, his face bright crimson as he nodded once.

 

“ KAWAIIIII!!! How cute!” the cat maids squealed as one. Two of them immediately sprouted nosebleeds. Almost as one, other cat maids in the group whipped out multiple lace handkerchiefs for the bleeders to use.

 

“ Aren’t those Cat-Maid Army members? I thought they were always late to everything,” Super Saiyan Goku asked a middle-aged man in a Hufflepuff t-shirt.

 

“ They usually are, but this time they were already here,” replied Cersei Lannister.

 

“ YOSH!” Luffy shouted as he took Law’s hand and lead him off into the throng.

 

“ W...where are we going?” Law sputtered out as the crowd parted once more, clapping and cheering the couple.

 

“ To the table! I’m still hungry!” Luffy admitted, grinning.

 

**Hypothesis - Monkey D. Luffy: I’ll enter an eating contest!**

**Result: Success**

**Reason: Luffy knows that Law** **_loves_ ** **watching others** **_try_ ** **to out-eat him.**

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

**The Classic**

**Clinical Trial Number: Eight**

**Day and Time: Saturday afternoon, 2:29pm**

  
  
  


Law flashed his Convention Attendee badge and his 18+ bracelet at the door and waited for Luffy to do the same.

 

The surgeon was glad that the younger man had agreed to meet him at the afternoon showing of a classic anime. He was unfamiliar with it, but Penguin had assured him that it was “well worth watching  _ with _ Mugiwara.”

 

He hoped that Penguin was right. He would hate having to reprimand him if it turned out to be terrible.

 

Law quickly walked past a printed sign with two of the main characters on it. He didn’t spare it a glance as he spotted a pair of seats next to each other in the middle of the room.

 

“ This way, Mugiwara-ya,” he said as he nodded towards the seats and removed his sunglasses.

 

“ There’s a  _ lot  _ of girls in here,” Luffy pointed out as he hurried to Law’s side.

 

“ I hear this is a well-loved classic. I have no idea what genre it is,” Law said, taking his seat. “Penguin said we would enjoy it. I certainly hope he is right. I don’t want to be bored.”

 

As the room lights slowly dimmed, a tone sounded on the surgeon’s phone. Voices all around him made shushing noises while he fumbled to put it on mute. Doing so, he pocketed it just before he heard a collective gasp from the otherwise pindrop-silent crowd.

 

“ Whoa!”

 

It was Luffy’s voice that made Law to glance up at the screen.

 

And cause Law to let out a gasp of his own.

 

Two men were lying nude on a bed, one kissing the other, who looked as if he was thoroughly enjoying the attention.

 

As one man ran his hand down the other man’s leg, Law felt his cock twitch in response. He glanced over to Luffy.

 

The younger man was lost, watching what was happening on the screen.

 

As the pair on the screen joined their hands on the bed, Law felt his hand being taken by a smaller one.

 

And as one man inserted his cock into the other man, Law’s hand was squeezed.

 

The crowd went wild as the pair on the screen began to move.

 

Glancing once more over at Luffy, he noticed the other man was completely engrossed in the anime. Law turned his attention back to the screen and watched as well, captivated.

 

The only indication that Luffy was still holding his hand was the occasional squeeze during the sex scenes.

 

When the lights went up, the audience went berserk, clapping and cheering.

 

Except for Law and Luffy.

 

Law’s spotted hat was now in his lap, hiding his erection.

 

Luffy, on the other hand, was sporting a very obvious tent in his jorts.

 

And both men were still holding hands.

 

“ Chimp-sencho is holding this guy’s hand!” one observant girl behind the pair cried out, causing other heads to turn.

 

“ Isn’t that the guy that was at the Valentine pirates panel?” a Winrey Rockbell pointed out.

 

Law froze.

 

And not in a sexual way.

 

A cosplayer beautifully dressed as visual Kei rocker Mana whispered in his friend’s ear, who replied, “Yeah, that’s the guy that Monkey-sensei asked out at the egg roll eating contest!”

 

Law held onto Luffy’s hand tightly as he braced himself for the onslaught of horny females.

 

Instead, he felt his hand rise as Luffy stood, his loose jorts now hiding his hard-on.

 

“ We’re going to go now. Thank you for letting us watch this anime with all of you, it was  _ cool _ !”

 

Law could only follow as the younger man made his way out the door, females and males alike parting like the Red Sea while the duo made their way out.

 

“ Have a great rest of the con you two!” A cheerful voice cried out behind them, echoed by everyone in the room.

 

“ Why didn’t they...what did you... _ why didn’t they attack us? _ ” Law asked, incredulously.

 

“ Oh that’s easy! If I get hurt, I can’t record my character’s lines, and the show goes on hiatus. No one wants to be known as ‘the person that made Romance Dawn temporarily go off the air,’ especially since its at a cliffhanger. Nami told me this. That’s how I can go anywhere and not have people bother me!” Luffy explained, laughing as the pair walked away, unaccosted.

 

Law could only follow the voice actor, his jaw practically dragging on the floor.

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

**Hypothesis – Penguin: Watching a movie together is a nice couples date.**

**Result: Success**

**Reason: Sensitive Pornograph is a GREAT date movie...for the right couple.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Did you guess the anime they were watching? And yes, Sensitive Pornograph is a real 18+ yaoi movie. If you haven’t seen it, yet, I highly recommend watching it, its a great yaoi classic! 
> 
> And, as far as I know the Cat-Maid Army doesn’t exist. But wouldn’t it be cool if they did? 
> 
> If someone decides to create them, let me know!


	9. “Dinner” and “Flowers”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Law accepts an invitation to a meal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> EEP! I realized today that this chapter has been finished and betaed for well over a month! Ooops. So I decided to post it. In my defense, I've been working on all the other WIPs I have on AO3. (^_^);
> 
> For those of us here in the US, Happy ~~Will Smith saves the world~~ Independence Day! (^_~) 
> 
> the spacing problem has GOT to be because of the program I used before switching to google docs. Sorry about that.
> 
> Once more with feeling! THANK YOU BETA EIRI! <3 <3 <3
> 
> Ryuichi

 

“ **Dinner” and “Flowers”**

**Clinical Trial Number: Nine**

**Day and Time: 5:48 pm Saturday afternoon**

  


Adjusting his tie, Law once again arrived at the suite Zoro and Sanji shared. The delicious smell of cooking meat hung in the hallway, making the surgeon’s mouth water as he realized that he had yet to eat anything today.

 

Smoothing down the bottom of his charcoal gray Armani suit jacket out of nervousness, he knocked on the door and waited as footsteps approached. The door opened and Sanji peered at the other man before he held the door open wide for the blue-haired surgeon.

 

“Hello Law. Nice sunglasses. I heard what happened. Did you get my message?” Sanji asked, running a hand nervously through his hair.

 

“No. Is there a problem?” Law asked, mental warning bells going off in his brain.

 

“Probably not one I can’t fix, but I just wanted to warn you. Chopper’s here. He was away visiting relatives when that incident….” the blond started when a high-pitched voice made itself heard.

 

“Hi Law-sensei! I’m glad you came! I thought of a great idea and I had Sanji help me with it, I hope you don’t mind,” Doctor Tony Tony Chopper said, launching himself at the other doctor yet again. Hugging Law around his midsection, he lead the blue-haired man to the fully laid-out table in the center of the suite.

 

“The meal was Sanji’s idea, but the dessert was mine!” the younger doctor pointed out.

 

Law paled as he took in the setting.

 

An intimate table for two was laid out, each dish perfectly placed, each glass filled just so.

 

And in the center of the table sat a large bouquet of multicolored cotton candy flowers.

 

“I know how much Luffy loves candy, so I thought I’d help Sanji make some just for him!” the little teen chirped happily.

 

Law grit his teeth as he nodded. “That was very...nice of you, Tony-ya. I’m sure that Luffy will...love your dessert idea.”

 

Sanji winced at the underlying sound of teeth grinding as Law bit back his original comment.

 

A comment that would have explained to Doctor Chopper a certain high school date-related incident involving a huge, freshly-made bowl of Sanji’s homemade strawberry icing, a sugar-high Luffy, a motorboat and the East Blue Waterfront Shopping Mall.

 

Despite the broken glass and the deep ruts in the wooden boardwalk, it really _did_ look like it had been deliberately placed among the unbroken swimsuit-clad mannequins.

 

Law hadn’t returned to the East Blue Waterfront Shopping Mall since.

 

He briefly wondered if the store still had the boat in the display window.

 

As Sanji and Chopper made last-minute finishing touches on the table, Law pulled his phone out of his pocket. Swiping to his text messages, he read the first text Sanji sent that he had missed. Checking the time, he realized he was in the shower when the first one came through.

 

**Chopper’s here. He wants to make cotton candy for dessert for you and Luffy. How do I tell him it’s NOT a good idea? Remember the motor boat incident?**

 

Blanching, he read the last text, sent six minutes after the first.

 

**Oh well, we’ve started making cotton candy. It’s your fucking funeral.**

 

Law looked up from his phone and managed to catch Sanji’s eye. Placing a pitcher of ice water on the table, the chef shrugged helplessly.

 

“Doesn’t the table look lovely, Law-sensei?” Chopper chirped happily. “I think you two will have a great time, especially after eating my desserts!”

 

“Oh, I’m willing to bet that it’ll be memorable, Chopper,” Sanji deadpanned.

 

Law could have killed him.

 

Pounding on the suite’s door signaled to the trio that Luffy had arrived.

 

“Open up Sanji! I smell meat cooking! I’m HUUUUNNNNGGGRRRYYYYY!”

 

“Wait a fucking minute, shithead!” the chef yelled, waving Chopper into the suite’s kitchen area. The younger doctor nodded, hurrying to the kitchen and quietly closing the door behind himself before Sanji hurried over to the suite’s door.

 

“By the way Law, he doesn’t know you’re gonna be here too,” he added, opening the door.

 

“But he invited me to...” was all Law could get out before Luffy launched himself into the room, drool dripping from his open mouth.

 

Law, not expecting the attack, ended up flat on his back with a drooling Luffy sitting on his chest.

 

“Eh?!? You’re not Sanji,” the younger man uttered as saliva dripped onto Law’s face and neck.

 

“UGH!” Law shrieked, pushing at the strawhatted man on top of him. “Don’t dribble on me!”

 

“Torao?!” Luffy squawked while the blue-haired man wiped saliva off of his face with a yellow handkerchief.

 

“You invited me to dinner,” Law elucidated.

 

“Hunh? This isn’t dinner! It’s my mid-afternoon snack! Dinner isn’t until eight!” Luffy chirped, grinning.

 

“ _I_ invited him, stupid straw-boy! It would be a shame if an imbecile such as you ate my splendid meal alone!” the blond huffed. Sanji directed his glare at Law. “It’s also not my fault you forgot how shitty Luffy acts when I cook,” he added.

 

“I paid for it with _my_ egg roll winnings, its _my_ meat!” Luffy chuffed as he climbed off of Law’s chest to glare at Sanji.

 

“I don’t think Law gives a flying fuck who eats the meat,” Sanji replied, calmly pulling out a cigarette from his jacket pocket. “Besides, you shithead, I made more than just meat.”

 

Law replaced the handkerchief in his breast pocket while the pair quibbled over the meal.  

 

A slight blush colored his cheeks as he hoped the slight tent in his dress pants was unnoticed by Luffy.

 

“I think Torao still likes me. He got hard when I sat on him,” Luffy pointed out.

 

Apparently Law’s physical reaction hadn’t gone unnoticed.

 

Law sat up and glared at Sanji, who shrugged.

 

“Let me help you,” Luffy offered as he held out a hand.

 

Law blushed even darker as he took the proffered hand and stood. Looking down at his rumpled suit, he brushed at it while Luffy watched.

 

“I’ll be in the kitchen if you need me,” Sanji informed the pair.

 

Neither man heard him.

 

“Torao, you look very nice. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in a regular suit before, just our school uniforms and jeans and such,” Luffy remarked.

 

“Well, I uh...thought that I should dress up for our date...uh...dinner,” Law admitted.

 

“For a date with me? I’m not dressed up,” Luffy observed, looking down at himself. “I didn’t expect you at all!”

 

Law looked at the younger man. He was dressed in a red t-shirt with his anime character’s wanted poster on it, a pair of jorts with fur at the bottom and his straw hat on a string hanging down his back. Law smiled internally as he realized how similar he was to his anime counterpart, down to the type of clothes he wore.

 

“Usopp really captured you when he created Chimp D. Guffy, didn’t he?” Law quipped as he finished brushing down the back of his pants. Luffy blinked and stared at the taller man.

 

“What do you mean?” he asked.

 

“...never mind, it’s not important. Shall we take a seat?” Law suggested. He led the way to the table and took a seat. Luffy did the same.

 

“What’s that for?” he asked, pointing at a small silver bell that sat next to Law’s water glass.

 

“I suppose it’s for when we want the next course,” Law surmised.

 

“ _Really?_ So I can get more meat when I’m almost done and Sanji will bring it out to me? Before my plate’s empty?” Luffy cried.

 

“Exactly,” Law said, picking up the bell. He gaped when Luffy snatched it from his hand.

 

“I wanna do it!” Luffy shouted, ringing the bell hard.

 

“I hear it, I hear it! The TV’s not _that_ loud!” Sanji shouted from behind the kitchen door. He kicked open the door, causing it to dent the wall and making Chopper screech in terror. Expertly carried one-handed over Sanji’s head was a huge silver platter, its contents hidden by a matching lid.

 

“I knew it was your dumb ass ringing the bell,” the blond grouched, an unlit cigarette hanging from his lower lip. He used his free hand to professionally grab and open a stand for the platter. Placing both next to the table, he lifted up the lid.

 

Law’s mouth began to water as a medium-well steak dinner, baked potato with sour cream and chives and a Caesar salad was placed in front of him.

 

Minus croutons.

 

Just the way Law preferred it.

 

“Me next, me neeeeexxxxttttt!” Luffy cried, crudely pounding his knife and fork on the table.

 

“Hold your horses, shitboy!” Sanji hissed.

 

“Shishishi! You’re funny Sanji, but I’m HUUUUUNNNNGGGRRRYYY!” Luffy replied.

 

Law watched the entire scene with amusement. He hadn’t realized how much he missed this kind of interplay between the pair.

 

Sanji picked up a plate piled high with nothing but steaks and placed it down in front of Luffy.

 

“WAIT fuckhead!” Sanji shouted as Luffy dove in to stab one of the steaks with his fork. “Don’t you have something to say first?”

 

Well-trained and knowing that Sanji would snatch the food away from him if he didn’t say something, Luffy paused, his mouth still watering. “ThankyouverymuchforthefoodSanji!” he gushed quickly.

 

“Okay, you may eat,” Sanji said, happy with the only thank you he knew he would get from the raven-haired man. Despite winning the egg roll contest only a few hours earlier, Luffy dove into his food as if he hadn’t eaten in a month.

 

“Thank you for inviting me to your meal, Sanji. I’m quite sure it’s delicious,” Law added, picking up his napkin and spreading it across his lap.

 

“Damned straight it is! How many people can say a highly regarded sous chef such as myself cooked a meal to perfection for them for _free?_ ” Sanji muttered around his unlit cigarette.

 

“Not very many, I’m sure,” Law replied as he began to eat.

 

“You fucking well know it!” the chef said, a hint of pride in his tone. He picked up the bell and placed it next to Law’s plate.

 

“Make sure the shit strawhead doesn’t get it again, willya?” he instructed.

 

“I’ll do my best,” Law replied.

 

Sanji leaned in to speak low into Law’s ear. “If you ask him nicely, he won’t. You’re probably still the only person who can get him to cooperate.”

 

Surprised, Law turned to stare at Sanji, who winked back at the blue-haired surgeon. The chef picked up a second plate of steaks from the tray and placed it next to Luffy’s now nearly empty one.

 

“This should hold you for a few more minutes,” he said rapidly disappearing into the kitchen.

 

Taking the first bite of his steak, Law had to bite back a moan of satisfaction. The steak was tender and juicy, seasoned to perfection in exactly the way Law preferred it. Knowing that if he didn’t hurry, the prime piece of meat risked being snatched by his ever-hungry date, Law ate it first, finishing it just as Luffy was down to one last steak on the second plate. Sitting back slightly, he watched as the younger man tore into the last steak.

 

“You really haven’t changed all that much, Mugiwara-ya,” Law noted more to himself.

 

“Wha’ d’ yoo meen?” Luffy asked, his mouth full.

 

“You’ve become taller and filled out some, of course, but your eating habits still leave a lot to be desired,” Law replied, smiling slightly as he dug his fork into his salad.

 

“Oh...”Luffy replied, swallowing. He stared down into his plate for a moment, the tips of his ears turning bright red as he replied with, “I’m glad you’re here.”

 

Law’s fork stopped partway to his mouth as he tilted his head forward, golden eyes hidden.  A smile graced his lips as he looked over at the younger man.

 

“WOO, that was GOOOD!” Luffy exclaimed, his plates now empty.  He turned his attention to the bouquet in the center of the table.

 

The bouquet of cotton candy flowers.

 

Law paled despite his natural tan complexion as he tried to distract his strawhat-wearing date.

 

“Mugiwara-ya, I have tickets to an event, why don’t we leave and go see it right now?” he offered.

 

Not the way that Law would have liked to invite the other man, but he was desperate.

 

“Event? What kind of event?” Luffy asked, his attention pulled away from the spun sugar.

 

“A rather interesting one, if I do say so myself. Robin gave me tickets and she thought you might like to go.”

 

“Idunno...Robin likes things that make you read and I don’t wanna havta read a lot...” Luffy countered, his arm still reaching towards the bouquet.

 

_Think fast Trafalgar!_

 

“T..there’s meat...of a sort,” Law began.

 

“MEAT? We’re going to a meat place? A restaurant?” Luffy asked, leaning far over the table.

 

“Didn’t you just finish eating?” Law pointed out.

 

“I always have room for more meat!” Luffy replied as he grabbed Law’s hand.

 

 _Whew, I’m safe…_ Law mentally sighed.

 

“Oh, don’t want to forget these!”

 

Before he knew it, Luffy had practically inhaled one of the fluffy cotton candy flowers and was working on a second.

 

“NO!” the surgeon shouted. He watched helplessly as Luffy wolfed down the remaining eight.

 

 _We are so dead_ , he thought, his shoulders slumping.

 

**Hypothesis: Sanji and Chopper**

**Result: Failure**

**Reason: Luffy’s insatiable appetite**

**Author's Note:**

> I know, I know, I also used “Red Line University” in my story ‘Dream Vision.’ This is a AU to that ‘verse. >: P


End file.
